Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park

Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park is located off Kangaroo Island, about 230 kilometres south-west of Adelaide and adjacent to the South Australia Kangaroo Island Marine Park. It includes representative examples of habitats and ecosystems of the Spencer Gulf Shelf. Here seasonal winds and ocean currents interact with seafloor features to produce a number of small seasonal upwellings that are important for biological productivity. The area is noted for its diverse seafloor communities, productivity hotspots and aggregations of marine life associated with the seasonal upwellings of nutrient-rich water.

Natural values

Our marine parks have a number of different values, including natural, cultural, heritage and socio-economic values. The natural values of our marine parks refer to the habitats, species and ecological communities within them, and the processes that support their connectivity, productivity and function. Below are the key datasets that help inform park managers about the natural values that exist within our network of Australian Marine Parks. For more information on other park values refer to the relevant park Management Plans on the Parks Australia website.

See which wetlands of international significance are protected by Australian Marine Parks.

Maps

The information provided by these datasets was integral in the planning and development of our national network of marine parks. Learn in detail about how scientists and marine park planners used these important marine features together to design Australia's network of marine parks, or explore the datasets for the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park individually through the links below.

See which areas of Australia's marine environments have been World Heritage listed.

Latest maps

Since the initial planning of the Australian Marine Parks Network in 2012, new mapping data has emerged that allows us to see in finer detail the features that exist within our parks. These datasets help marine managers to understand more about what's under the surface, where there are overlaying management or protection regimes, and/or where pressures on the marine environment may be increasing.